The Hardest Goodbye
by Broken Dove
Summary: Oneshot. Set after battle with Kratos at Origin's seal. Indepth of what Lloyd & Kratos were thinking after their battle. Also deals with what I think would have happened if Yuan didn't show up in time. WARNING! Character death.


Title : The Hardest Goodbye

Summary : One-shot. Set after battle with Kratos at Origin's seal. In-depth of what Lloyd & Kratos were thinking after their battle. Also deals with what I think would have happened if Yuan didn't show up in time. WARNING! Character death. Slight OOCness (I think).

Rating : T just to be safe

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PotatoPuff : Alright, my first ToS fic!

TaterTot : Why do you delight in causing fictional characters emotional pain?

PP : THEY'RE NOT FICTIONAL! And it's because I'm a depressed, insane person, with a sick and twisted mind! HeeheeheeHEEhee! HeeheeheeHEEhee! Hehhehhehhehhehhehheh.

TT : Al-right. You should go talk to FrenchFry about meeting her friends in the white coats in the white padded rooms. Until then, we do not own Tales of Symphonia, or any of these characters.

PP : We do own this fic though! I got everything that Kratos & Lloyd say before the seal is broken from OKong's game script on GameFAQ's, along with most of what is said afterwards, but the actions might be a bit off because 1: They need to fit what the characters are thinking and 2: I haven't played this part of the game for a while, so I can't remember it perfectly. Well, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

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_After Lloyd defeats Kratos at Origin's seal_

Kratos kneels, panting, exhausted from their battle. He has found a new respect for his son, and can feel a sense of pride welling up inside of him.

"...You've grown strong."

"Thanks to you."

Kratos smiles, glad he was able to teach his son something in the short time since they had been reunited, but winces from the pain. He is very close to death, he can sense it.

He welcomes it.

"Aren't you... going to finish me?"

Lloyd can't believe it. He has dealt his father so much damage that it hurts to smile? He had seen the poorly concealed wince that Kratos had given. And now he was asking for Lloyd to finish him off? It was bad enough that he had already hurt him to the point that it hurt to smile, now he wanted Lloyd to kill him? How could anyone do that to their own father? No matter what their beliefs were?

"I defeated Kratos, the angel, the one who betrayed us. And I forgive Kratos, the hero of the Ancient War, who helped us. That's all."

Kratos sighs. Why couldn't the boy make things easy for once? He just couldn't accept that, sometimes, you had to make sacrifices to get what you wanted.

"Humph... and I thought I'd finally earned the right to die. ...But you're as softhearted as ever."

Lloyd gasps. _He's approaching the seal. _Is he actually going to do it? Will he really give his life so that the worlds can be returned to their former state?

"Ho... hold on! You can't be... are you going to break the seal?"

Kratos can't believe it. After all of this, does the boy really believe that he isn't going to do it? He hopes that Lloyd will understand that he really does care for him, that the only reason he was always so distant, that he didn't tell Lloyd the truth, was, well, for one, it would have made his job that much harder while he was still helping Cruxis, but, more importantly, he was afraid that the truth would hurt Lloyd, and he didn't want to do that. If he didn't get attached, it also made the final goodbye that he had always known was unavoidable, the hardest goodbye of all, that much easier.

"...That is what you desire, is it not?"

Lloyd is speechless. Yes, it's what he wants to happen, no, it's what he knows has to happen, but, why does someone have to be sacrificed for it to happen? Why does his father have to be sacrificed for it to happen?

"But then, you'll..."

Kratos reveals his angel wings. After 4000 years of life, and the pain that comes with it, and 14 years of punishing himself for the death of his wife, and what he thought was also the death of his only son, he can finally be free. He can finally redeem himself for everything he has done. The end is in sight. He can use what little life he has left to aid the son he had thought he lost in saving a world that he had given up on.

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_'Understand my pain, please. Understand how long 4000 years is to live, and how much pain I have had to deal with, how much pain I have dealt, and helped in dealing to the citizens of this world. This is how I can finally atone for all I have done._

_Understand that I never meant to hurt you.'_

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_'Why does it have to happen this way? How cruel is fate to tear you away from me right after I realized the true connection you have to me? If you'll just stop, I'm sure we can find a different way, together. But, you can't stop, can you? At least, in your opinion, you can't. You feel as though there is no other way, that you have to do this. But, there is another way. I KNOW there is, and, together, we WILL find it. Just, please, stop! I don't want to feel helpless as my father dies right in front of me! Please! Don't do it!_

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A blue light surrounds Kratos as his mana flows from his body, breaking the seal on Origin. Death calls to him, and he calls back, telling Death he won't be long.

Lloyd watches in horror, completely helpless. All he can do is stand there as his father sacrifices himself for the world.

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The last of Kratos' mana flows out, as Origin's seal finally shatters. Kratos smiles. Finally, he has atoned for all of his crimes against the world. He has finally found peace as his body slumps to the ground.

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"Kratos!"

Lloyd rushes forward to catch Kratos before he hits the ground. He gently lowers his father to the ground, while tears start forming in his eyes.

"Kratos, please, no. Don't leave me like this!"

Kratos' eyes weakly flutter open so he can take one final look at his son.

"Please Lloyd. Try to understand why I've done this. Try to understand my pain. And, Lloyd?"

Lloyd finds it hard to speak, he is so choked up.

"Yeah?"

"Don't die, Lloyd. I know that your mother is proud of you, because I am. Don't disappoint us Lloyd. Make us prouder than you already have, my son."

With those words, Kratos closed his eyes and took one final breath before he let Death finally take him away.

Lloyd sat there in shock, the tears freely flowing down his face.

"Kratos, please, no! Don't go! DAD! NOOOO!"

Lloyd's mournful plea hangs in the air as he cradles his dead father's body. With no mana left to support it, Kratos' body begins to fade away. Lloyd holds him close, refusing to let him disappear, but it cannot be avoided. All that is left is his sword, Flamberge. Lloyd tosses away one of his Angel's Tears, replacing it with the sword that his father had just used against him a battle that, literally, went to the death. He stands, wiping away his tears, as Origin appears above the seal.

"Sheena."

Sheena, surprised by Lloyd's voice, looks up, blinking through her own tears, because the entire group had been affected by the loss of their former companion, a man who had just given his life so they could save the world.

"Yes, Lloyd?"

Lloyd's eyes are red, but his face is set with determination as he looks into Sheena's eyes.

"He's a Summon Spirit. It's your turn."

Lloyd steps back, turning towards the trees, giving Sheena a clear path to the seal. She begins walking forward, her eyes on Lloyd's face, watching him attempt to regain some composure. As she draws near, she reaches out to him, lightly gripping his shoulder, silently comforting him. He turns his head to look at her and gives her a weak smile.

"Lloyd."

His vision is blurry as he looks at her, confused.

"You should come too. You're the one who has to form the pact with him, I'm just the only one who can set it in stone."

He nods, and, wiping his eyes one last time, walks up to Origin's seal, Sheena at his side. Origin is the first to speak.

"You who lack the right. I have lost faith in all things. Have you come here to disappoint me as well?"

Lloyd clears his throat.

"Origin. Are you bound by a pact with Mithos?"

"My pact with Mithos was broken the moment I was freed. Never again shall anyone make use of my power."

Sheena is shocked, and outraged.

"Even if we make a vow? We need the Eternal Sword!"

Lloyd knows that he cannot just give up on Origin. After his father sacrificed himself to give Lloyd a chance at obtaining a pact with Origin, he cannot just walk away without it.

"I want to use the Eternal Sword to reunite the two worlds and revive the Giant Kharlan Tree. Unless we do something, the two worlds will never stop vying for mana, and everyone will suffer!"

Origin stands strong with what he has vowed to himself.

"That situation was born from the weakness of creatures who are unable to accept those who are different."

"That may be true, but mistakes can be corrected."

"Some things cannot be corrected."

Colette cannot remain silent any longer.

"Even so, we have to do everything we can."

Lloyd silently thanks Colette for saying that.

"Exactly. I'm not gonna give up. From the moment they are born, everyone has the right to live. I want to reclaim that. Humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves, and even Summon Spirits... Everyone has a right to life!"

"Origin..."

Lloyd whips around to see Yuan walk out of the shadow of the trees. He cannot understand why he is there, as Yuan begins to back Lloyd up.

"For almost an eternity, I thought that the only way to save this world was to cling to Mithos' ideals. Just as you once agreed with Mithos' ideals, I, too, thought his was the only way. I have changed the way I look at things since then, and began trying to change things myself, but I was still going about things in about the same way, bullying and threatening people to acheive my goals. In a way, I was just like Mithos. Lloyd is different though. He realizes that he cannot rely on others to change things, but also knows that he cannot become a heartless leader if he wants to change it himself. He is also not forcing others to do his dirty work, like me. He gives them a choice, and trys to find a way that does not involve any meaningless sacrifices. He was just unable to stop the one that happened right in front of you just a few minutes ago. A man sacrificed himself so that his son would have a chance at obtaining a pact with you. Origin, you always believed that no one should be sacrificed meaninglessly. Would you really let that man's death be meaningless?"

Lloyd understands why Yuan is there now. He had known what Kratos was going to do, and had gone there to try and save him, but had arrived too late. That's why there were tears forming in his eyes, because he had failed to save one of his best friends. Lloyd looks back at Origin as he begins to speak again.

"...You who possess the right of summoning. Make your vow."

Lloyd is shocked.

"Origin! Then..."

"I will try once more to believe in people. I shall do my duty in order to create a world you speak of - a world in which everyone can live equally, where no life is sacrificed meaninglessly."

Sheena steps forward. Now, it's her turn.

"I, Sheena, have but one vow. To reclaim a world in which everyone can live freely... A world in which no innocent life is sacrificed meaninglessly! That's all."

"Then we shall create a pact upon that vow. Now, fight!"

Origin draws his swords, as Lloyd does the same.

_"I won't let you down, Dad. I WILL obtain a pact with Origin, and the power of the Eternal Sword. I will bring Mithos down, and recreate the world, free of discrimination."_

As Lloyd rushes forward into battle. he smiles. He knows that Kratos, his father, is finally back with the woman he loved again. Kratos is finally at peace, finally happy...

Finally free.

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PP : Phew, finally done!

TT : Do you have any idea how many people you probably just made angry?

PP : Let them come. I am happy now that I have that idea finally written and typed.

TT : HOW CAN YOU BE HAPPY! YOU JUST KILLED OFF A MAIN CHARACTER! WITH A HUGE FAN BASE! YOU'RE DEAD!

PP : How can I be dead if I'm typing this?

TT : Fine. What do I care if the angry fan base comes after you? Are you going to mention that thing that your cousin told you you to mention?

PP : Awww, I was hoping you'd forget about that! The only reason I'm putting this in is because you and him won't leave me alone if I don't! This fic is complete, but, I suppose I can continue it and write the rest of the game out without Kratos if I get AT LEAST 10 people who review saying they want more. But it HAS to be AT LEAST 10! 9 does noe count! Has to be 10! Happy?

TT : Yes. Very. Now, readers, don't forget to review!

PP : Yes, don't! Not after all the thought I put into what Yuan was going to say in Kratos' place!


End file.
